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E-textbooks. Opportunities, innovations, distractions and dilemmas Tom Davy Thomson Learning. What is a textbook?. A synthesis of current knowledge. Teaching aid and learning resource. Learning objectives. Matches course requirements. Includes supplements. Case studies.
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E-textbooks Opportunities, innovations, distractions and dilemmas Tom Davy Thomson Learning
What is a textbook? A synthesis of current knowledge Teaching aid and learning resource Learning objectives Matches course requirements Includes supplements Case studies Follows a logical sequence Pedagogical features
Teaching Philosophies • A bi-product of research • Learning shouldn’t be fun • Students shouldn’t be spoon-fed • Discovery not prescription • Learner-centred Vs teacher-led
Student expectations • Get me through the course • Grab my attention • Highly visual • Better than Google • The bits I need when I need them • Built-in links for further research
Publisher Objectives • Win market share • Build a superior product • Better syllabus match • Authoritative author • Latest thinking • New material • Makes course delivery easier • Value-adding supplements
Diminishing returns • More returns, less ROI • Reducing sell-through • New edition cycles • Second-hand sales • “Web resources are free”
US Vs ROW price differentials Kotler, Armstrong Principles of Marketing US Edition $160 = £80.00 UK Edition £42.99
US Edition UK Edition $141.98 = £70 £39.89
Economics of textbook publishing • High initial investment • Supplements • High Price • In the US • If discretionary purchase for students • Used books, leakage, buying around, piracy • Inefficient supply chain • Multiple intermediaries • High wastage • “Unsuccessful” first editions • Too much content • Returns
Corporate exodus from education “Education slow to adopt digital solutions”
Textbook Vs Digital Textbook • Portable • Tactile • No equipment required • Text better on paper • Organising framework • Linear • Single medium • Too much or too little • Single learning style Digital • I-pods, mobile phones • I-pods, mobile phones • Ubiquitous items • E-paper, print on demand • Learner journeys • Interactive • Multiple media • As much as you need • Individual learning styles
Context Faculty • Tutor contact hours are reducing (www.williseemytutor.com) • From sage on the stage to guide on the side Students • Access to huge amount of content • Students will accept “good enough” • Students have become Googleized
Is there a better way? What would we invent today if the textbook did not exist?
Book Centric Case Studies Companion Website Learning Assessments
Objective Centric Learning Objective Learning Assessments
Dilemmas • Print pays our salaries • The bleeding edge is a painful place • Selling direct to students • Digital rights management
Distractions • E-books • Bookshops • Digitalist zealots
Innovations • The demise of content silos • Customised content • User created and sharing
Opportunities • University management: offer your customers a more compelling learning experience • Go digital • Librarians: market your services more effectively • Move into the campus bookshop space • Publishers • Look beyond the textbook • Start thinking objectives and digital learning objects